Category: News and Events

Journalists selected for Pristina Culture Conference

The Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network is pleased to announce the journalists who have been selected to participate in the second round of the Balkan Initiative for Cultural Co-operation, Exchange and Development project.

The project aims to improve the situation in the region by strengthening cultural life and cross-cultural cooperation as an important element of a participatory, open and dynamic civil society

A training programme,  “How to Write for Culture Watch Online magazine?“ will be held in Pristina on March 17 and 18.

The journalists’ active involvment in the training and conference session, organised as part of  the project, will be essential to the project as it explores the coverage of cultural policy issues, the understanding of cultural policy issues and the challenges faced by the media in presenting these issues to the public.

The event will additionally serve to strengthen transnational co-operation between media and culture experts from across the region. The Balkan journalists selected are:

–    Aneta Risteska, Macedonia
–    Besiana Lushaj, Albania
–    Besiana Xharra, Kosovo
–    Ernest Zavila, Bosnia-Herzegovina
–    Gordana Andric, Serbia
–    Klimentina Ilievski, Macedonia
–    Maja Nedelkovska, Macedonia
–    Marjola Rukar, Albania
–    Milan Lisica, Serbia
–    Nejra Aganovic, Bosnia-Herzegovina
–    Nemanja Cabric, Serbia
–    Shengjyl Osmani, Kosovo
–    Zvjezdan Zivkovic, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Some of the journalists participating in the BICCED project will also take part in the JournArt project implemented by the Centre for Media Activities from Macedonia. The JournArt assessment and production project (JAAPP), is a partnership between TV professionals, workers in the culture sector, and artists from Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia that aims to enhance the quality and the quantity of media coverage of culture and the arts.

Life in Kosovo Discusses High Interest Rates for Loans

Tonight, representatives of banks and local institutions in Kosovo will discuss what is stopping interest rates for loans falling.

Are banks really a success story in Kosovo? What do bank leaders need from the state to lower rates? Why do Kosovars have to pay higher interest rates compared to others in the region? Is there any agreement between banks in Kosovo to keep this rate?

 

Why did the Kosovo Competition Commission begin an investigation concerning banks\’ interest rates? Is there space for involvement of new banks in the market which would offer lower interest rates?

To discuss these and other issues related to the banks, Jeta Xharra has invited the following guests in the studio:

Florin Lila, from ProCredit Bank ,
Robert Wright, from Raiffeisen Bank,
Vullnet Latifi, from the Bank for Business
Bedri Hamza, Minister of Finance
Lavdim Hamiti, economics journalist at the daily newspaper Zëri,
Ahmet Krasniqi, from Kosovo Competition Commission.

After the debate, journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu reveals how tenders are given by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

 

Who has tried to give an 800,000 euros tender at the TRA without following all legal procedures? What does the Procurement Review Body, the TRA, and the senior procurement official who was suspended by TRA for this tender say about this issue?

 

At the end of the show, journalist Alban Selimi looks at the measures taken against the doctor Haqif Sadiku, who has not respected the work schedule at the Family Medical Centre, whose case was discussed in the last Life in Kosovo show.

 

The report also investigates the reasons why the health inspectorate has not noticed this irregularity earlier.

Initiation of Balkan Culture Watch Strengthening Project

Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network has launched its Balkan Culture Watch Strengthening Project, funded by the European Cultural Foundation (ECF). The BCWSP project is a “build-on” project that complements the existing three-year “Balkan’s Initiative for Cultural Cooperation, Exchange and Development Project” (BICCED, funded by the SCP), which aims to support a constant production of analytical reporting on culture-related developments in five countries (Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo) through a monthly newsletter (Culture Watch / CW), and support the media in the region with coverage of culture by offering analytical reports free of charge.

This project aims to involve government officials and decision makers and work to improve the situation in the region by strengthening cultural life and cross-cultural cooperation as an important element of a participatory, open, and dynamic civil society.

The project’s first event will comprise Advisory Board meeting, conference and training “Culture in the Media”, which will be held in Pristina from March 17 to 19 2011. The participants in the conference will include editors, journalists, and experts in culture from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia.

The conference aims to explore the coverage of cultural policy issues by the media, as well as the understanding of cultural policy and the challenges in presenting these issues to the public. Furthermore, the conference will include working sessions which will provide the opportunity for an exchange of opinions between the 15 editors and 15 journalists participating in the gathering, as well as a number of cultural experts. The conference is organised by BIRN and the Centre for Media Activities, CMA, from Macedonia.

Following the conference, the project will continue to provide support to media outlets through the sharing of analyses produced as part of Culture Watch, the collection of feedback from relevant ministries and cultural organisations, and analysis.

BIRN Team at Youth Conference in Becici

A conference ‘LinKS’, which brings together young people from Kosovo and Serbia, will be held in Becici, Montenegro, March 4-6. 2011. Three BIRN members: Kaltrina Hoxha,a Project assistant, Shengjyl Osmani a researcher for Prishtina Insight and Balkan Insight  and Elizabeta Murati an intern at BIRN Kosovo will participate in the debates at the conference.

The conference will examine the responsibility of politicians, the media, civil society and youth in developing better relationships between Belgrade and Pristina; freedom of movement; the status of minority communities in both countries; cooperation among youth groups; prejudices that prevent positive relations between the two communities. About a hundred young people from Serbia and Kosovo (members of political parties, civil society, journalists, and students) will take part in the March conference.

The goal of the conference, organised by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights from Kosovo and Serbia, is to show that a constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is not only necessary but possible.

The organisers hope that dialogue will create new bonds among the young people of the region, and offer up new ideas and topics that the governments in both Kosovo and Serbia can include in their own programmes.

Life in Kosovo Debates the Quality of Teaching in Secondary Schools

Tonight, Life in Kosovo discusses the quality of teaching in primary and secondary schools, the frequent suspension of students and the large number of students with poor grades.

Why are students being suspended so regularly? What are the reasons for the large number of students who achieve poor grades? Can we overcome this crisis in the education system? How concerned are parents of students about this phenomenon? Who is responsible for the students’ lack of interest in learning?

To discuss these and other concerns about primary and secondary education, host Muhamet Hajrullahu has invited the following:

Ramush Lekaj, official at the Ministry of Education,
Zef Osmani, Head of the Regional Inspectorate in Gjakova,
Nazim Haliti, from the Forum for Civic Initiatives,
Elizabeta Murati, student of Xhevdet Doda high school in Prishtina,
Shkumbin Arifi, both a parent and an expert in educational issues.

Before the debate, journalist Edona Musa looks at problems in the education system. The reportage looks at the case of 30 suspended students from Ratkovc, a village in Rahovec, and problems in the municipality of Malisheva, where a large number of students have received poor grades.

After the debate, journalist Alban Selimi reveals how Dr Haqif Sadiku has been working for many years in the private clinic “Galaksia” during his work hours for public health institutions.

BIRN Serbia trains NMC members

Communication Training for the members of National Minority Council of ethnic Albanians was held in Belgrade on the 25th and 26th of February.

BIRN and the OSCE mission to Serbia, brought together six representatives of different boards of the  NMC in order to strengthen their media communication skills with local and national media and to connect them with Belgrade based media.

On the first day of training, NMC representatives were introduced to the overall situation in the media industry in Serbia, noting the positions of local media – their weaknesses and their importance to local communities. 

The mandate of the NMC in the media sphere was also discussed. Dragana Nikolic-Solomon, head of media department of the OSCE mission gave a presentation.

“The NMC should not manage the editorial policies of any media, it should simply promote the most important things the ethnic group it represents and advocate for that” stressed Solomon.

<!** Image 3 align=”right” >Later, trainees were introduced to the results of a survey undertaken by BIRN Serbia on perception of the media in Bujanovac and Presevo.

The survey showed that the community viewed the local media as a tool of the ruling party and that they were not interested in watching such programming.

After two further  presentations and debate on the issues raised, a working dinner was held with journalists and editors from major Belgrade based media.

It proved to be a good platform for sharing information and establishing better communication with national media representatives.

Day two was organised as a workshop. Guided by two experienced RTS journalists and editors, Goran Sinandinovic and Bojan Brkic, NMC representatives were trained how to communicate in different situations.

They were recorded and their statements to camera were analysed. They had a chance to learn how to formulate statements, how to stand and how to deliver their messages in a positive manner.

“It was very useful training for us” said Baki Rehxepi, president of the media board of the NMC.

BIRN Holds Investigative Journalism Training

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network is holding a two-day training event on investigative journalism for print and television reporters, as well as civil society organisations which work to promote access to official documents.

During the training, BIRN unveiled its manual to document-based investigative reporting, Follow the Paper Trail, which sets out how to use Kosovo’s freedom of information laws, practical tips on how to use search engines to trawl Kosovo government websites and internationally sources of information.

Training sessions offered practical investigative techniques used by BIRN journalists on writing a number of hard-hitting investigative stories, some of which have sparked probes by authorities into suspected corruption.

At the end of training, five print and there television journalists will be provided with funds to write an investigative story using these techniques, while being supervised by BIRN journalists to get first-hand experience on investigative journalism.  This project is funded by the United States of America Embassy in Pristina.

Download the manual of investigative journalism

Life in Kosovo debates the failure of the government to increase salaries

Tonight, Life in Kosovo discusses Kosovo’s government’s failure to increase the salaries of civil servants.

What happened to the promise of acting prime minister Hashim Thaci to increase salaries? How legitimate was the government’s decision to increase salaries? What could be the consequences of not introducing the pay rises? What do the IMF and international community in Kosovo say about this decision?

To discuss these and other issues related to the budget, the consequences of non-approval of the budget and salary increases without budget coverage, journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu is joined by the following:

Haxhi Arifi – Head of the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo
Haki Shatri – Former Minister of Economy
Lumir Abdixhiku – Executive Director of Riinvest
Arbana Xharra – Economics reporter at the daily newspaper Zëri

During the debate, Life in Kosovo broadcasts a report by journalist Edona Musa, which talks about the frustration of education and health workers, showing their disappointment about the fact that their salaries have not been increased, despite the promises of the government.

After the debate, Life in Kosovo broadcasts a report by journalist Alban Selimi, which shows how a road in the municipality of Obilic has been destroyed only four months after being paved.

At the end of the show, BIRN will broadcast a report on the debate tournament  Peja Open 2011, which was held last weekend by the students of high schools of four municipalities of Kosovo on the topic of elections.

 

 

Life in Kosovo Debates Taboo

Tonight, Life in Kosovo discusses taboo about remarriages of widows and marriages done in order to obtain residence permits in Western countries.

Why do husbands whose wives die marry again quickly, while society encourages women whose husbands die to wear black and not re-marry? How widespread is the phenomenon of marriages done in order to obtain residence permits? What do Kosovar imams say about this phenomenon? What are the different perceptions of marriages of widows of wars in Kosovo, Bosnia and the UK?

To discuss Kosovo’s society approach to this, Jeta Xharra has invited the following people:

Nita Luci, anthropologist
Sabri Bajgora, the main imam of Kosovo
Fahrije Hoti, from the Association of Widows “Krusha”
Majlinda Aliu, journalist and the winner of the first prize of Balkan Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism 2010, with her article on the re-marriage of widows.

Jeton Musliu, journalist and the winner of the third prize of Balkan Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism 2010, with his article on false marriages carried out in order to obtain a residence permits.

During the show, BIRN will broadcast the documentary about marriages of Albanians with Swiss and German women in order to obtain residence permissions, realised as part of the Balkan Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism for 2010.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence was established in 2007 by the ERSTE Foundation and the Robert Bosch Stiftung in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, in order to promote excellence in journalism and balanced reporting on complex issues about the reforms that are important for the region and the European Union.

The topic of this year is Justice. For more information about the program and application procedures, please visit http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/.

 

 

Apply Now for 2011 Fellowship

Seize your chance to investigate stories about justice at home and abroad with funded research, travel expenses and career development seminars in Berlin and Vienna.

• About the fellowship

• Application form

• Application guidelines

Experienced journalists across the Balkans are invited to apply for the fifth annual Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence programme.

This year’s topic is justice. Applicants are encouraged to consider the theme in broad terms and submit original story proposals exploring issues surrounding the delivery of and access to justice – in both legal and social contexts.

Click here for more information on the 2011 fellowship topic

Journalists selected – by an independent committee – to take part in the fellowship will receive a €2,000 bursary, up to another €2,000 for travel expenses and will attend career development seminars in Berlin and Vienna.

Completed articles will be published in English and local languages in regional and European online and print media.

In addition, the top three articles, again judged by an independent committee, will attract awards of €4,000, €3,000 and €1,000.

Click here to find out more about how the fellowship works

Remzi Lani, director of the Albanian Media Institute and a member of the programme’s selection committee, described the fellowship as “a success story”.

“The programme offers a unique opportunity for detailed, in-depth reporting in your country and beyond. At the same time, if offers fellows the opportunity to meet colleagues and industry professionals from across Europe.

“Publication of the fellows’ articles in the most important media in the region and internationally is certainly clear proof that this project is a worthy venture – an opportunity that should not be missed,” he said.

The fellowship programme was established in order to develop and support Balkan journalists reporting on complex reform issues that have regional and EU significance.

To encourage regional networking among journalists and support balanced coverage of topics central to the Balkans and the EU, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation established the fellowship in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.

Download an application form

Read the application guidelines

Justice: 2011 fellowship topic

The topic for this year’s programme is justice. Applicants are encouraged to consider the theme in broad terms and investigate issues surrounding access to and delivery of justice in both legal and social senses.

Applicants should explore issues surrounding justice in their country – in government, in business, within society, among interest groups, between individuals and within families – and draw parallels to the situation in neighbouring countries and the EU.

As Balkan states adjust to new economic and political realities, are all citizens equal before the law? Are all laws just? What of the impact on social justice issues such as access to education, equal opportunities and employment? Has the road to EU membership provided adequate protection for citizens at home and abroad?

With the establishment of international courts and tribunals, and the existence of myriad extradition agreements, jurisdictions now cross borders. While some may find it more difficult to dodge justice, do all criminals have fewer places to hide? Does the threat of international legal action deter the abuse of human rights by governments?

The transitional economies of the western Balkans have, in the main, developed systems, values and legal frameworks that are broadly in line with those in the EU. However, unequal access to justice, haphazard investigation, weak enforcement and corruption are everyday realities. The task for our 2011 fellows will be to pitch fresh story ideas which shed new light on regional and international justice.